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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244796">Rose Trees Never Grow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multishipperlove/pseuds/Multishipperlove'>Multishipperlove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Obann mentioned, Song fic, Yasha misses the sun and flowers and is just very sick of living in a wasteland, trauma talk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:07:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multishipperlove/pseuds/Multishipperlove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Caleb catches Yasha still awake late at night and helps her find some peace.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caleb Widogast &amp; Yasha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rose Trees Never Grow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Original Prompt:<br/>(For the prompts) 'Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters' by Elton John, with either Caleb &amp; Veth or Caleb &amp; Yasha (platonic, for both). Or honestly, any of the Nein.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>And now I know<br/>
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say<br/>
I thought I knew<br/>
But now I know that rose trees never grow<br/>
In New York City</p><p>Until you've seen this trash can dream come true<br/>
You stand at the edge while people run you through<br/>
And I thank the Lord<br/>
There's people out there like you<br/>
I thank the Lord there's people out there like you</p><p>While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters<br/>
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers<br/>
Turn around and say good morning to the night<br/>
For unless they see the sky<br/>
But they can't and that is why<br/>
They know not if it's dark outside or light</p><p>*</p><p>Caleb finds her when he is already on his way to bed, convinced that he is the last one awake as he passes her door and notices the candle light still coming from inside. Usually he wouldn't investigate like this, long since having come to the conclusion that he's fine with minding his own business, as long as the others do the same.</p><p>But after Obann, after they just got her back, it feels different. There is a part of him just unwilling to leave Yasha alone like this, and he is only a little ashamed to admit it's both to protect Yasha <em>and</em> everyone else. So he steps forward and knocks, gently, prepared to leave again if she asks him to. Mind He just needs to try, or he won't be able to sleep.</p><p>The answer is a bit hesitant, but clear nonetheless. “Yes?”</p><p>“It's me,” Caleb replies, keeping his voice down to avoid waking anyone else, and then steps inside to join her. He leaves the door open, knowing how important it can be to have a free route of escape in your field of view. “I was surprised to see the light, is all. Is everything okay?”</p><p>Yasha, sitting on the floor and leaning with her back against the wall, staring at the mural on the opposite side, just shrugs at first. She doesn't seem to mind his intrusion, or at least she doesn't try to get rid of him too quickly or tells him the famous <em>I'm fine</em>, which Caleb is aware is a too commonly used phrase in their group.</p><p>Taking her non-answer as an invitation to sit down he settles beside her, close but not touching, keeping his hands to himself. “Do you miss them?” he asks softly, nodding to the flowers that Jester painted so long ago.</p><p>She nods this time. “Kinda, yeah.” Her tone is just as gentle, and Caleb watches as she awkwardly wrings her hands in her lap. “When I got out of Xhorhas, for the first time I mean, it was almost overwhelming. The colors, the smell... before leaving, I had never noticed how black and white everything back home was.”</p><p>Caleb nods, listening silently. As different as their experiences are, it's surprising how often and how <em>closely</em> he can relate to her at times.</p><p>“And- and when I was with Obann, things were kind of like that again,” Yasha continues, still not looking at Caleb. “There wasn't- I couldn't stop to smell the flowers, or- or just sit and listen to the rain, or- nothing. It was... nothing.”</p><p>“Yeah, when your mind isn't your own, it's the little things that disappear first,” Caleb agrees quietly. “But you're not with him anymore.”</p><p>“No, but we're still in Xhorhas,” she replies. “And there are no flowers in the dark either.”</p><p>“But there is a tree,” Caleb reminds her, nodding towards the door and the stairs, leading up to their little roof terrace. “And an endless sky of stars whether the moon is up or not. I know it's not a perfect trade off for not seeing the sun in days, or even weeks, but it's something. Might be nice to spend the night there instead of staying in a stuffy room.”</p><p>Yasha still doesn't look quite convinced, but Caleb can see a glimmer in her eyes that wasn't there before. “Alright,” she finally agrees, breaking into the tiniest of smiles, but he'll take it as a win anyway. “Alright, I will take a look. Take my blanket with me, maybe.”</p><p>Caleb nods again and finally gets up, mirroring her smile as he waits for her to follow. “You do that. I hope it helps you to sleep well.”</p><p>Walking over to her bed first Yasha picks up the thick comforter there, seeming unsure of what to reply as she rubs the back of her neck with one hand. “Yeah, yeah I'm sure it will.” There's a brief pause, then she speaks up again. “Thanks, Caleb, I didn't- I mean, it was nice talking to you. That's all, that's... what I wanted to say.”</p><p>“I, uh... you're welcome,” Caleb mumbles back, feeling just as awkward now. On the way out they don't hug, but he still breathes a bit more easy, and he's sure Yasha feels the same as he watches her disappear up the stairs.</p><p>Maybe tomorrow at breakfast, he thinks, they can talk about finally leaving Rosohna again. Nicodranas would be nice, or maybe Alfield. Somewhere where they could see the sun rise again, and where Yasha would be able to forget, at least a little bit.</p>
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